Frame straightening machine for vehicles and the like

ABSTRACT

A device for straightening frames and bodies of automotive vehicles. The device includes a telescoping main frame having a hydraulically moveable upright beam and various attachments for applying pushing, pulling and other forces.

United States Patent Backus 14 1' Sept. 5, 1972 [54] FRAME STRAIGHTENING MACHINE [56] References Cited FOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE UNITED STATES PATENTS [72] Inventor: Charles Henry Backus, 700 Shady Glen 1 vacaviue, m 95688 3,276,237 10/1966 Transue ..72/295 3,340,720 9/1967 Chartier ..72/389 [221 Flledl March 1971 3,477,269 11/1969 Dinerman ..72/292 [21] Appl. No.: 127,971

Primary Examiner0thell M. Simpson [52] US. Cl ..254/93 R, BR9557521710254, [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..B66f 3/24, B66f 3/00 A device for straightening frames and bodies of au- [58] Field of Search ..254/124, 93; 72/295, 292, 389, tomotive vehicles. The device includes a telescoping 72/705 main frame having a hydraulically moveable upright beam and various attachments for applying pushing, pulling and other forces.

5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PNENTED 5 FIG. 4

FIG. 2

24 FIG. 3A

FIG. 5A FIG. 6A

FIG. 3B 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES Hf/VKY BACKUS FIG 6B FIG 5B FRAME STRAIGl-ITENING MACHINE FOR VEHICLES AND THE LIKE This invention relates to machines that apply force to frames and the like.

It is therefore the primary purpose of this invention to provide a frame and body straightening machine for automotive vehicles which will have a telescoping beam with caster means to enable it to be mobile, one end of the device including a pivotable bracket to which a caster is attached, the arrangement enabling great force to be applied while not causing damage to the caster.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the type described which will have a carriage member having rollers to support it upon the main beam, the carriage having also secured to it a moveable beam which moves with the carriage when hydraulic force is applied thereto.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine which will expedite a frame and body straightening operation and will be more versitile and powerful than machines of the prior art.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the type described which will have various attachments in order to apply forces such as, compression, tension, downward force and lifting force.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a frame and body straightening machine for automotive vehicles which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will become readily evident upon a study of the following specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the present invention showing alternate positions of the hydraulically activated cylinder;

FIG. 1a is a fragmentary view of FIG. 1 showing the hydraulic cylinder in an alternate position for pushing the carriage mounted beam;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one end of FIG. 1 showing a forward pivotable bracket exploded from the telescoping beam portion of the machine;

FIG. 3a is an enlarged plan view of one of the moveable chain hook brackets;

FIG. 3b is a side elevation of FIG. 3a;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a chain and pulley attachment for the present invention;

FIG. 5a is a vertical view of a V-bar attachment for straightening work, the device being used in conjunction with the attachment shown in FIG. 6a;

FIG. 5b is a plan view of FIG. 5a;

FIG. 6a is a side view of a V-notched attachment for use with the device of FIG. 5a; and

FIG. 6b is a plan view of FIG. 6a.

According to this invention, a frame and body straightening machine 10 is shown to include a main beam 11 of square and hollow configuration which telescopingly receives an extension beam 11 of similar construction. The main beam 11 of machine 10 includes a pair of spaced apart swivel casters 12 which are pivotably secured within a channel member 13 which is fixedly secured to one end of main beam 1 1. A pivotable bracket member 14 is secured by pivot pin 14 to the telescoping beam 11'. A swivel caster 15 is carried on the extending end of bracket 14 and may be replaced by a foot member 15' if desired. A compression spring 16 is carried by bracket 14, spring 16 enables the telescoping beam 11' to press upon the floor which is necessary when great downward pressure occurs when machine 10 is used to pull and lift and thus prevents damage to the caster 15. A moveable upright beam 17 is secured fixedly within carriage member 18. Carriage member 18 is moveable along main beam 11 by means of a plurality of rollers 19 carried therein, the rollers 19 engaging the upper and lower surfaces of main beam 11. A moveable beam 20 includes rollers 20' which bear against beam 11 and moveable beam 20 carries angularly positioned plates 21 which are welded near the lower extremity in order to provide a broader base for the jamming action that locks it to the main beam 11, the plates 21 serving as anchor means for beam 20. A plurality of U-shaped brackets 22 include a chain hook 23 and a cam lever 24 which is used to position them at any desired height upon beams 17 and 20. A bracket 25 is secured fixedly to main beam 11 and provides a means for securing hydraulic cylinder 26 to machine 10. A piston rod 27 of hydraulic cylinder 26 includes an extension rod 28 which may be pivotally secured to beam 29 pivotably secured to the upper extremity of moveable beam 17.

It will be noted that hydraulic cylinder 26 is adapted to be removable so that it may be used on bracket 30 which is fixedly secured to main beam 11. The above arrangement by the piston rod 27 being connected to carriage 18, lends itself to move carriage 18 and its attached beam 17 in a pushing motion towards the extending telescoping beam portion 1 1 Looking now at FIG. 4 of the drawing, one will see a bracket 31 of U-shaped configuration which may be secured to beam 1 1 and which includes a rotatable pulley 32 around which may be carried chain 33.

A V-shaped bar 34 for straightening work is shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b of the drawing. A V-notched attachment 35 as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b of the drawing, is used in conjunction with V-bar 34.

In use, the carriage 18 carry beam 17 and may be urged frontwards or rearwards upon beam 11 by the use of hydraulic cylinder 26 which may be positioned at either mounting bracket 25 or bracket 30 secured to the main beam 11. The brackets 22 may be positioned at any desired height upon beams 17 and 20 and with the use of chain 33 all the various forces may be applied as necessary to straighten a vehicles frame or body.

It will also be noted that beam 20 may be turned in the opposite direction in order that the carriage 18 with beam 17 may urge against it by the use of hydraulic pressure on the piston rod 27 of hydraulic cylinder 26. And hook 36 may be put down in order to lessen the height and clearance necessary for the main beam 11. The bracket 31 may be positioned along the main beam 11 so that chain 33 on pulley 32 may be connected to hook 23 of bracket 22 on beam 17 to effect a downward pull.

What I now claim is:

l. A frame and body straightening machine, comprising a main beam, a telescoping beam carried by said main beam, swivel casters carried by said main beam and telescoping beam providing mobility for said machine, a pivotable bracket carried by said device providing protection means for a single caster of said device, a roller supported carriage with a vertical beam member carried by said main beam, hydraulic cylinder means carried by said main beam for pushing said carriage mounted beam, bracket means carried by said main beam for securing said hydraulic cylinder in any desired position, a second moveable beam parallel with said first moveable beam carried by said main beam with roller and plate means for moving it and anchoring it, bracket and hook means carried by said first and second moveable beams for receiving a chain for effecting various forces that are to be applied to straightening vehicle frames and bodies.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein one end of said main beam includes a horizontal channel member to which is secured a pair of spaced apart and swivel casters, said casters being used in conjunction with a single caster at the opposite end of said machine, said single caster being mounted to said pivotable bracket secured to the telescoping beam member which is telescopingly received within said main beam.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said pivotable bracket is pivotable so that extreme force may not be applied to its single caster when extreme force is used and said bracket having said single caster includes a compression spring, said spring is so positioned so as to compress said main beam urged downward on the floor and said bracket carrying said spring when pivoted serves to prevent damage to said attached caster and said hydraulic cylinder is mountable to one or the other of spaced apart brackets upon said main beam in order to apply pressure for urging said carriage mountable beam along said main beam.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said carriage includes side plates, said side plates having rotatable rollers, the upper pair of rollers engaging the top of said main beam and the lower rollers engaging the bottom of said beam thus rendering said carriage mounted beam usually moveable upon said main beam by hydraulic cylinder means, and U-shaped bracket means upon said carriage mounted beam is moveable upwards and downwards by rotating a selfcontained cam member within said bracket, said bracket carrying hook means for engaging a chain and said second moveable beam is roller mounted to said main beam at its lower extremity and is also, provided with angularly welded plates, said plates allowing for said second beam to anchor itself and said second beam also carries a chain hook bracket with cam means for raising and lowering it upon said second beam.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein a U-shaped bracket with pulley means for chain is mountable to said main beam when desired so as to work in conjunction with said carriage mounted beam and said second moveable beam for applying force and a V-bar attachment and a V-notch attachment are used in conjunction with each other for straightening work on the frame of a vehicle. 

1. A frame and body straightening machine, comprising a main beam, a telescoping beam carried by said main beam, swivel casters carried by said main beam and telescoping beam providing mobility for said machine, a pivotable bracket carried by said device providing protection means for a single caster of said device, a roller supported carriage with a vertical beam member carried by said main beam, hydraulic cylinder means carried by said main beam for pushing said carriage mounted beam, bracket means carried by said main beam for securing said hydraulic cylinder in any desired position, a second moveable beam parallel with said first moveable beam carried by said main beam with roller and plate means for moving it and anchoring it, bracket and hook means carried by said first and second moveable beams for receiving a chain for effecting various forces that are to be applied to straightening vehicle frames and bodies.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein one end of said main beam includes a horizontal channel member to which is secured a pair of spaced apart and swivel casters, said casters being used in conjunction with a single caster at the opposite end of said machine, said single caster being mounted to said pivotable bracket secured to the telescoping beam member which is telescopingly received within said main beam.
 3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said pivotable bracket is pivotable so that extreme force may not be applied to its single caster when extreme force is used and said bracket having said single caster includes a compression spring, said spring is so positioned so as to compress said main beam urged downward on the floor and said bracket carrying said spring when pivoted serves to prevent damage to said attached caster and said hydraulic cylinder is mountable to one or the other of spaced apart brackets upon said main beam in order to apply pressure for urging said carriage mountable beam along said main beam.
 4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said carriage includes side plates, said side plates having rotatable rollers, the upper pair of rollers engaging the top of said main beam and the lower rollers engaging the bottom of said beam thus rendering said carriage mounted beam usually moveable upon said main beam by hydraulic cylinder means, and U-shaped bracket means upon said carriage mounted beam is moveable upwards and downwards by rotating a self-contained cam member within said bracket, said bracket carrying hook means for engaging a chain and said second moveable beam is roller mounted to said main beam at its lower extremity and is also provided with angularly welded plates, said plates allowing for said second beam to anchor itself and said second beam also carries a chain hook bracket with cam means for raising and lowering it upon said second beam.
 5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein a U-shaped bracket with pulley means for chain is mountable to said main beam when desired so as to work in conjunction with said carriage mounted beam and said second moveable beam for applying force and a V-bar attachment and a V-notch attachment are used in conjunction with each other for straightening work on the frame of a vehicle. 